O-line issues could derail Giants

The Giants’ offensive line was a position of weakness for them in 2015, and they’ll be starting the season without their best lineman with Will Beatty on the PUP list with a torn pectoral.

Of players to take over 100 snaps on the line for the Giants, Beatty was the only one to record a positive grade last season. 2014 right tackle Justin Pugh is reportedly remaining inside at guard, leaving rookie first-round pick Ereck Flowers and Marshall Newhouse the favorites to start on the outside.

The Giants had hoped to ease Flowers in on the right side initially, but Beatty’s injury has forced a re-shuffle. The good news is that Flowers graded very well at Miami last season. He graded negatively just once in 12 games, struggling only against talented Niners third-round pick Eli Harold in pass protection. In fact, Flowers only conceded multiple pressures in two games in 2014.

Rookie tackles typically struggle early on in Year 1, however, and that might not be the team’s biggest concern on the O-line. Newhouse has consistently struggled in his five years in the NFL, grading negatively every season – and in the five games in 2014 during which he took significant reps (minimum 40 snaps), Newhouse recorded a very poor negative-11.9 grade and conceded a sack, three hits and 11 hurries.

Eli Manning is coming off of a good season and Odell Beckham Jr. might be the best wide receiver in football, but this offense could have some issues until Beatty is able to return to the field.